Packet Picking Disaster
by DarylDixon'sgirl1985
Summary: Mimi and Stanley face their first planting season without Bonnie there. After season two of Jericho the tv series. A collection of Stanley/Mimi stories.
1. Packet Picking Disaster

**Hey everyone. This story was brought to you by Shipping Wars, and Summer Bingo on Monthly Challenges for All. **

**Shipping Wars - Stanley Richmond/Mimi Clarke (Manley Taxation), Summer Micro 2 List (Berries/Fruit), Word Count: 1,160**

**Summer Bingo - 3A red, Word Count: 1,160**

**I hope you all enjoy Packet Picking Disaster.**

"Maybe we should plant some berries or other fruit," Mimi suggested folding her arms across her chest in thought as she planned out the garden she wanted to put in order. "That way we wouldn't be depending on Jennings and Rall for all of our food, Stanley."

She'd been badgering him for days to help her make a decision on what they'd grow from the seeds that Dale Turner had brought in during the night. That had been at least three weeks ago. Mimi really didn't get why Stanley wasn't feeling like helping her out with this. It wasn't like she was asking him to do everything by himself.

"Mimi," Stanley sighed running his hands through his blonde hair. He'd been having a hard enough time thinking clearly as it was, the anniversary of his sister's death was right around the corner after all, and Mimi badgering him was helping things. "Look just give me a minute to think things through. I've a lot work to do around here. I still have to plant the corn for the fall."

"I'm just asking you to look at the packets and pick out a couple that you think would sell," she stated as though it was that easy. "It's not that hard."

"If it's not that hard than maybe you should do it," Stanley said walking off towards the field. Didn't Mimi understand that that was usually his mother or Bonnie's job. Picking out the fruits they planted for the season.

He remembers watching the two of them sitting together, the mother and daughter duo, side by side looking at the pages and pages of seeds and choosing only the most profitable ones. He wouldn't know where to begin even he did try. Not that he wanted to try it just reminded him of everything he'd already lost in his life.

Mimi sighed as stared at the packets of seeds in her hands. How had something so small started an argument like that? It was sort of amazing to her. She was so lost in her thoughts she hadn't realized that Jake Green had gotten there until he spoke startling her.

"Stanley's mother and sister used to pick out the season's seeds," Jake said remembering seeing the mother daughter duo at the task many a time he'd come over to visit Stanley. "It's nothing person. Right now it's just another reminder of what's he's lost."

"I didn't know," Mimi said covering her mouth in shock. She'd known that Bonnie's death would leave a lasting impression on Stanley, it certainly did on her, but she didn't know that impression would be this big. "I really hadn't thought of it like that."

"I know," Jake tells her. "I'll talk to Stanley for you. Maybe get him to come around about helping you pick out your seed packets." He walks the way that Stanley had just gone, as though knowing where his best friend was already.

"Thanks Jake," she calls after him. She watches his retreating back until she can't see him any more and goes back to studying the seed packets in front of her. She doesn't know how to do this. Before getting her she'd never gardened a day in her life. She knows she's out of her element her and she wishes like Stanley does that Bonnie was still alive. Bonnie would be able to help her with this. Bonnie had grown up doing this and knew what everything was.

Meanwhile Stanley just stared at the grain to planted. He had every intention of doing as he'd told Mimi he was going to do. He really did but then she'd insisted on looking at the packets and all he can see is Bonnie as four year old. Begging him to come help her and Mama pick out seeds. Bonnie as six year old in pigtails and overalls, shovel in hand leading the way out to the small fruit and vegetable garden. But it also brought back the image of Bonnie he hated the most. A sixteen year old girl, cut down in her youth, blood staining the pink shirt she'd worn that day with a rusty red.

"Stanley," Jake called out breaking him away from the awful image of Bonnie floating before his eyes.

"Jake," Stanley called back waving at his friend. He waited for the sandy haired man to join him over by the grain pile. "What brings you here, man?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm f..."

"No. You're not." Jake folds his arms over his chest and watches Stanley waiting for him deny it. Waiting for him to say something. Anything at all. But Stanley just stays quiet. "Talk to me, man. What's up?"

"It's just...seeds," Stanley says voice cracking. "That's always been Bonnie's job on the farm. Picking out and helping plant the fruit and vegetable garden. Mimi just doesn't get..."

"She doesn't know. You have to tell her these things for her to get them, Stanley. She's not a mind reader."

Stanley had figured that Bonnie had told her everything about her running the farm. She used to like to rub it in his face that the farm was basically run by her. It hit him then. Bonnie hadn't done that because she knew Mimi was the one. She didn't want to ruin Stanley's chances with Mimi by making him look like a moron. Not that he wasn't doing a good job of ruining his chances by himself, mind you.

"I have to go, man," Stanley says walking back to the farm. Hopefully it wasn't too late.

Mimi had been staring at the packets of seeds for so long her eyes had started to blur. She didn't know which should be planted when and Stanley didn't seem to want to help her. So she was on her on with this stuff and she was sure she'd fail too.

"Bonnie would probably plant the raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries as far as fruit went," Stanley's voice breaks her concentration on the packets in front of her. "As far as vegetables go I have no clue. I only ever helped plant the stuff. So this is going to be a whole new adventure for the both of us."

Sitting and watching Mimi's smile transform her face Stanley prepares for his first planting season without his little sister. Maybe it'd be a little more bearable than he thought it would with Mimi by his side.

##########################################################################################

"This should be enough to keep us afloat for a while," Dale Turner tells them as Stanley unloads the first of many bushels of red berries from the back of the truck. "Thank you, guys."

"Thank you, Dale," Stanley says as he puts an arm around Mimi. If it weren't for Dale Turner and those stupid seed packets he and Mimi wouldn't have had the break through they did. Maybe he could begin to look forward to planting season once again.

**I hope you all enjoyed Packet Picking Disaster.**


	2. What Ifs?

**Hey everyone. This story was brought to you by Shipping Wars, and Summer Bingo on Monthly Challenges for All.**

**Shipping Wars - Stanley Richmond/Mimi Clarke (Manley Taxation), Summer Micro 2 List (Garden), Word Count: 785**

**Summer Bingo - 4B Orange, Word Count: 785**

**I hope you enjoy What Ifs.**

Stanley sits across the table from Mimi in their small garden, taking in the sights around them. As he does, his mind starts to drift and wander about what would have happened if he'd met Mimi before the bombs hit.

As though his mind is putting his daydreams into a visible form, he sees everything he's thinking in front of his very eyes.

He and Mimi are sitting in the very garden they're in now, but this time his parents are with them, because in his daydreams they are still alive. They're smiling and chatting away amiably.

"So Stanley," his father would say in that teasing way he usually had with his children, "when are you going to have this little lady join the family?"

"Dad," Stanley would chide his father, going a vivid pink that would travel up to his hairline. "We're taking it slow."

"Don't take it too slow," the reply would come out of nowhere, "we do want some grandchildren, after all."

His mother would reach over and slap his father's shoulder, not roughly, but in a way that showed she was just teasing too.

"You guys, take as much time as you need," she tells them.

And then the subject gets turned from them and any thoughts of marriage. Because they just aren't ready to be married yet. But that would be the day that Stanley would have started planning to propose to Mimi.

The daydreams skip ahead a few years, about two or so, to the same garden scene but with just Stanley and Mimi. They are visiting his parents and Bonnie for the month. Mimi has gotten that dream job of hers in New York and they've moved there for a bit. But she can tell that Stanley is getting homesick.

"Stanley," Mimi would have said, "I have a surprise for you." She would seem giddy and unable to control herself, something the Mimi in real life has rarely seemed. She'd reach into the pocket of her jacket and hold something out to him. "Surprise! I wanted to wait until your birthday, but I figured now would be a better time. You just seem so homesick in New York."

He'd stare into his hand in shock. There would be a house key in his hands, the one they'd driven past a hundred times and always commented on wanting to buy.

"You bought it," he would say, looking at the key attached to the orange key ring she'd given him. "I can't believe you bought it. You're the best, Mimi."

That scene changes yet again to one of them sitting in the garden with his parents yet again. Bonnie is in the garden with his and Mimi's two children; they're playing tag or some childlike game. Bonnie looks happy to be playing with her niece and nephew.

The peace would be shattered when the little girl trips over her brother's shoe. An ear splitting scream rents through the air. Arguing follows and the two children run over to their parents and grandparents with Aunt Bonnie truding after them.

"Mommy, Daddy," their daughter, in his mind he named her Emily after her godmother Emily Sullivan, says, "Jake tripped me."

"I didn't do it on purpose," Jake would say, pouting and folding his arms over his chest. "Maybe if Emily was looking where she's going…."

"I was watching…"

Bonnie would sign to him, asking what they were saying because in their anger the twins would be speaking too fast for her to follow them.

"Guys," Mimi would say, getting exasperated because the twins have been getting into little fights like this for weeks now, "I'm sure we can work this out without your father or I getting involved."

Mimi would have taken the role of disciplinarian of the family because, and Stanley can admit this, he is way to soft on the children. He couldn't discipline them if he tried to.

"I'm sorry, Emily," Jake would say, giving his younger twin a hug. "I didn't meant to trip you."

Emily would look at her brother and accept the apology at face value because she didn't want to get in trouble while they were at grandma and grandpa Richmond's house. If they did, they wouldn't be allowed to help Aunt Bonnie and Grandma Richmond make dessert and that is one of their favorite things to do.

"Stanley" —Mimi's voice breaks him out of his daydreams and brings him back to reality, where Bonnie and his parents are all dead now— "I've been talking to you for almost an hour and you've said nothing. What are you thinking about?"

"Just a couple of what ifs," he tells her as he settles in to listen to whatever Mimi wants to tell him.

**I hope you all enjoyed What Ifs.**


	3. Morning Routine

**Hey everyone. This story was brought to you by Shipping War on Monthly Challenges for All.**

**Shipping War - Ship (Team): Stanley/Richmond/Mimi Clark aka Manley Taxation, List (Prompt): Fall Big List morning routine, word count 1,044 words.**

**I hope you all enjoy the next chapter of Packet Picking Disaster, Morning Routine.**

Stanley Richmond couldn't help but watch as his fiancee Mimi went about her morning routine. It had been something she'd done since she'd arrived in Jericho. He just had to know. He had to know why she did the same thing every morning. So one day he joined her in her morning routine. Or as much of it as he could.

But the thing that surprised him the most was that he was expecting to be waiting on her to wake up. She woke up with the first sound of his alarm.

"You're up early," Stanley pointed out making sure that the shock of it wasn't evident in his voice.

"Maybe I just wanted to start the day with you?" She smiled as she walked into the bathroom to start her morning routine with a shower.

Stanley knew better than to follow her. He'd tried that once before they were engaged and had gotten an ear full because of it. He knew that he'd have to wait his turn for the shower and pray she left enough hot water in the tap.

The off key singing began as the water started. He found out a while back that she liked to sing in the shower. It's always off key and most times horrible. But he finds himself adoring the sound of her singing.

Almost a half hour later, when he's given up the ghost of a shower, she walks out dressed for the day hair still up in a towel. She smiles at him. That smile that say she knows she shouldn't have taken that long in shower but couldn't help it.

"I promise I won't take as long tomorrow," she promises as she takes the towel off her dark hair and begins to comb it out. "I couldn't help it."

"It's alright, Mimi," he tells her. "I can always get a shower after the work day is done." Which is what usually ends up happening.

"I can go make breakfast," she suggests.

"I'll make breakfast," he tells her. He remembers the last time she cooked something that wasn't cereal. It didn't exactly end well for anyone. He knows that his younger sister Bonnie is probably way ahead of them already.

"Bonnie probably already has breakfast waiting on the table," Mimi says, with a fond smile at the mention of his sister. "I'd better go see if she needs any help."

"I'll be down in a minute," he calls after her retreating figure.

Quickly dragging a washcloth over his face and upper body he quickly dresses in for the day. His usual flannel shirt, oversized, and pair of jeans should do the trick, and jogs down the stairs in time to help the girls take breakfast over to the table.

"It smells delicious, Bonnie," Mimi says as she tries out the sign language she's been learning in order to communicate with Bonnie. "Thank you."

"When did you pick up sign language?" Stanley hears himself asking, unable to keep the shock out of his voice this time.

"I wake up early sometimes and Bonnie has taught me a few things in sign language," Mimi says as she also signs what she is saying.

Bonnie smiles and signs that 'Mimi is a good student.'

"I'm glad to see you both getting along better than you had been."

"Me too," both Mimi and Bonnie say at the same time.

The rest of breakfast is spent in small talk, and making plans for the day. The harvest season is coming up and they have to make plans for what to plant. What will last the town longer? After he's done eating Stanley puts his plate and silverware into the sink to be washed.

"I'm going to just go out and make a survey of the land," he told Mimi. "Would you care to join me? Both of you can if you want."

Bonnie makes an excuse so that she can go and hang around with her boyfriend Sean. Stanley knows that much. She's been making any excuse she can to go and see him ever since Stanley had kicked him out of the house.

"What do you say, Meems?" He asks sounding as hopeful as he can. It dull work doing the surveying by oneself. That way if she agreed they could make plans for the crops and more than likely go to town and order them.

"Of course," Mimi says with a smile. "But I…"

"You guys pick what to plan this year," Bonnie signs as she quickly pulls on her coat and darts out the door.

"I guess we have her blessing," Mimi says, as she pulls on her boats, that used to be Bonnie's. "I hope we don't make the wrong choice."

The survey of the land doesn't take that long. The land is still good to harvest which they should be doing soon. So they jump into Stanley's beat up old Ford and head to Gracie's, no Dale's grocery store to buy seeds.

"Is this how you spend all of your mornings?" Mimi asks as they near the town. "This is your morning routine?"

Stanley nods and watches her quizzically. "You got up early to join me in my morning routine?" he asks. "I was going to get up and join you in yours."

"You were?"

Stanley nods as they both dissolve into giggles that would rival that of any teenage girl with crush.

Once the giggling and laughter has died down, Stanley pulls up out front of Dale's store and stops the car. "We should do this more often," he says getting out and opening the door for Mimi.

"We should," she agrees readily.

They walk into store discussing seeds and other things that they should pick up while they are in town. It is while this going on that Eric Green approaches him and asks for him to go help with a task for the Rangers. And, of course, he goes. Because Eric and the other Rangers are his friends. Stanley's always been told it's right to help his friends. He can't help but wonder why Jake isn't there, or for that fact why they can't tell Jake where they are going? But that's not his problem until it is made so.

**I hope you all enjoyed Morning Routine.**


	4. Searching

**Hey everyone. This story was brought to you by Shipping Wars on Monthly Challenges for All.**

**Shipping Wars: Ship (Team): Stanley Richmond/Mimi Clarke aka Manley Taxation, Fall Big List (Searching), word count is 497 words.**

**I hope you all enjoy Searching.**

Mimi Clarke has been searching for the one for since she was old enough to date. Hell, maybe since before she was old enough to date. She's dated almost every type of guy out there. The yuppie, the football player, the goth, etc., ect.

But it wasn't until she got to the town of Jericho that she finally felt like she found the one. Not that she'd ever have originally admitted it out loud. Stanley was a big idiot when everything was all boiled down.

After all he'd gotten himself into debt with the IRS. That was why she was here in this podunk town. With nothing better to do but sit at this bar, which seems like a fine establishment, and listen to him talk about sports and whatever else happens to be on the television at the time. He doesn't even seem to get the hint that she doesn't want him around. Even though she does want him around. She wants it to seem like she doesn't want him around.

"Next one's on me," he says, with that big dopey smile on his face that reaches his blue eyes and makes them shine with mirth.

"Can you really afford to be buying drinks for anyone, let alone yourself?" She hears her own voice filled with bitter sarcasm. She hates the sound of her own voice when she talks now, thanks to him.

"Why not?"

"You do remember your in debt to the IRS for a lot of money, Stanley," she reminds him patiently. Cursing a God that would lead her every searching minute to end here. With him. With Stanley Richmond.

"You keep reminding me," Stanley says. But the smile never leaves his face.

She wants to reach over and smack the smile off his face. This wasn't some romantic comedy where the boy was in trouble and the girl helped him out. This was real life and he was facing real life consequences.

"What?" he asks as she sighs angrily and storms off.

Stanley watches Mimi storm out the door. He wonders, not for the first time, if God hates him for some reason. Because it seems that his search for the perfect woman has come to an end. But, of course, it had to be her of all people.

"Can I grab another beer, Mary?" he calls to the curly red-haired bartender.

"Only if you pay your tab, Stanley," Mary calls back good naturedly. A chuckle escaping her lips. She wipes out the glass she's holding watching him for a reaction.

He gets up giving up the ghost. He can't afford to pay for the next round. "I'll be back tomorrow," he says with a sigh of defeat, searching for some money that he can put down to pay off a bit of the huge tab he's worked up. After all, Mimi will be expecting him back any minute now, and he's sure to get chided for his lack of knowledge about money.

**I hope you all enjoyed Searching. **


	5. Climbing

**Hey everyone. This story was brought to you by Shipping War on Monthly Challenges for All. **

**Shipping War: Ship (Team) Stanley Richmond/Mimi Clarke aka Manley Taxation, List (Prompt) Fall Big List Climbing, word count is 682 words.**

**I hope you all enjoy Climbing.**

Mimi follows Stanley up the small hill towards the small graveyard, where his parents rest. She can't believe that he's doing this today of all days. Before she and Bonnie are sent to town hall with all the others who won't be fighting in the war with New Bern, Stanley wants to introduce her to his parents. His and Bonnie's, of course.

The climb up the small hill was quiet and solemn. No one seemed to want to say the words that each of them was thinking. That one or all of them could very well die at the hands of a neighboring city today. That they could lose each other very easily. That one of them could very well join Stanley and Bonnie's parents.

"We're here," Stanley says as they stop climbing and stand in front of two gravestones.

The names on the gravestones are Sharon and Henry Richmond. The stones held a date of birth for each and a date of death too. She's reading the quote underneath it all when Stanley begins talking.

He tells his parents about what was happening. The war with New Bern. That they would have to leave the farm for a little bit until the war is over. Which is hopefully very soon. Then he launches into introducing her.

"You guys remember me mentioning the witch from the IRS," she hears him say. "This is Mimi. Mimi these are my parents."

Then both Bonnie and Stanley are staring at her expectantly. So she just starts rambling. She rambles on about how it's nice to meet them. That she loves their son and Bonnie too, of course. That she promises to take care of them both. Anything she can think of comes out of her mouth. Because she's nervous and she's scared. She knows that anything could happen today and that makes more afraid than she's ever been in her life.

"I didn't tell them you were living with us," Stanley says, and she can't remember mentioning that they were living together.

But she must have, for Stanley have brought it up, so she begins to apologize to the gravestones. Imagining the incensed faces of Stanley's parents. Then catches sight of him laughing at her.

"Stanley," she chides him.

"What? It was a joke," he tells her. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Well your joke wasn't funny," she tells him folding her arms over her chest.

"I was just hoping that when we die our kids would come up here and joke around with us," he says as they begin climbing back down the hill again. "You know?"

She nods with a smile crossing her face. That's the best news she's heard since Stanley told her he loved her. They would have a family and they would raise that family here. And one day she and Stanley would be laying up in that graveyard. With Stanley's parents. She couldn't help but hope that their children would come up there and joke with them too. She just wouldn't tell Stanley this fact quite yet. Let him stew for a bit.

"So, you and Bonnie had better take the truck into town as soon as we get back to the farm," he tells her. "Looks like the others are arriving early."

And it's true. She can see the cars and trucks of all the people that had agreed to fight for Jericho. She can point out the other Rangers. The Green brothers.

She nods and motions for Bonnie to follow her as soon as they reach the farm. "Stanley wants us to go into town now," she signs to Bonnie. "Let's go get our things."

It doesn't take that long for them to gather their things and climb into the truck. As she puts the key into the transmission she takes a look around her. The next time they see the farm everything would probably look different. Everything would probably be changed.

She can't help but think, _Good-bye old life. Hello new one. _Then she's driving off down the road towards town. Towards safety. Towards hope.

**I hope you all enjoyed Climbing. **


	6. Cleaning House

**Hey everyone! This chapter of Packet Picking Disaster was brought to you by Shipping War on Monthly Challenges for All.**

**Shipping War: Ship (Team): Stanley Richmond/Mimi Clarke aka Manley Taxation, Fall Big List (Cleaning Together), word count is 812 words.**

**I hope you all enjoy Cleaning House.**

It's a usual day on the Richmond farm. Which means a totally unusual day for one Mimi Clarke. Ever since she'd gotten into this town she felt out of place. But even more so since she'd moved into the room she was 'renting' in return for payment of Stanley's debt.

"Good of you to join us," Stanley says, with that big dopey smile on his face that she's become used to seeing. "Just in time to receive your chore list."

"Chore list?" Mimi asks with a laugh. Her dark eyes studying Stanley like he's about to say that it was some joke, or imply that he should say such.

"Yeah. Chore list. Everyone in this house has to help out with the everyday chores. That's the way it's always been since I was a kid."

"But I'm a guest."

"Even the guest help out when it's needed."

Bonnie raises her eyebrows and asks with pointed exaggeration in sign language what Mimi's problem is. Mimi can tell the young blonde girl is talking about her because she's the only other person in the room. That and Bonnie is glaring right at her.

"Mimi just isn't used to having to do chores," Stanley explains as he signs to his sister. "It's going to take her awhile to get used to them. But I'm sure she will in no time."

"We might want to go easy on her," Bonnie signs with a smirk in Mimi's direction.

"What did she just say?" Mimi asked not knowing a lot of the words in sign language. She doesn't really understand why the younger Richmond sibling doesn't like her. Mimi doesn't want to be the one to take their house from them. She's just doing her job and this just happens to be part of that job. That is if she still has a job to return. Or for that matter a city to return to.

"She just said that she understands," Stanley says as Bonnie rolls her eyes behind his back. "So I'll give you half of Bonnie's chores and show you around…"

"What exactly are Bonnie's chores?" Mimi asked afraid that she'd have to kill an animal or something like that. She wasn't the sort of girl to get her hands dirty. She was more a get a manicure and pedicure sort of girl. Not this hard work stuff.

"You'll be cleaning up around the house," Stanley says. "Washing the dishes, doing the laundry, sweeping, small things like that."

Mimi is about to argue that making her work isn't part of their original deal when Stanley turns on his heel and walks out. She sighs and turns to Bonnie. "How do I do any of this?" she asks.

The younger girl laughs and just walks off with a signed 'Figure it out yourself.".

Mimi figures she'd better start out with the things she remembers doing as a child. The dishes, and sweeping. She wishes they had electricity. That way they could use a dishwasher if this house actually had one of those. She wishes they did. She's halfway through the dishes when Stanley comes back.

"How are you doing?" Stanley asked.

"Horrible," she finds herself snarking back at him. "This is like some sort of punishment. Is this some sort of punishment?"

Stanley rolls his eyes. He really can't seem to help it. "How far did you get on the list?" he asks looking around the house. He can obviously see that she hasn't gotten very far.

"I'm almost finished the dishes," she says. "Then I'll move onto the sweeping. I don't know how I'm going to do the laundry, though."

"Are you kidding? Bonnie would have been done this in no time and out doing chores on the farm." He sighs and rolls up his sleeves.

"What are you doing?" Mimi asks watching as he steps into the place she'd just vacated. She's confused but she won't admit that to him out loud.

"I'm helping you out," Stanley said. "After all you'll probably be finishing breakfast dishes by the time it's time for lunch."

So they set into a quiet little assembly line with him washing and Mimi drying and putting the dishes away. But he doesn't stop there. He helps her gather the laundry and shows her how to clean it without a washer. Mimi would never have guessed that Stanley knew how to do that. Never in a million years. But then again he was full of surprises, or at least that's what she's finding out.

"Do you think you can handle the rest?" he asks, looking out the window as Jake Green's car pulls up out front.

She nods and watches as he goes out to speak with his friend. She won't tell anyone but she suspects she's starting to fall in love with Stanley Richmond. Or at least she thinks she is.

**I hope you all enjoyed Cleaning House.**


	7. A Study of Stanley

**Hey everyone. This chapter of Packet Picking Disaster was brought to you by Shipping War on Monthly Challenges for All.**

**Shipping War: Ship (Team) Stanley Richmond/Mimi Clarke aka Manley Taxation, Fall Big List (Studying), word count is 348 words.**

**I hope you all enjoy A Study of Stanley.**

After the war with New Bern Stanley is a changed man, and there is no telling Mimi otherwise. She knows. She's been studying him since both herself and Bonnie got back from town.

She sees how he has trouble entering the kitchen, and she doesn't blame him. From what she hears around town Mr. Green was a like a father to Stanley and Bonnie after their parents deaths. So it must have been difficult to see yet another parent figure lying on the table they usually eat at, dying in front of his eyes.

She also knows that there are times when they are out in town and a car will backfire that Stanley almost jumps out of his skin. Another thing she doesn't blame him for. She's heard the stories from the battle field. People don't really think twice about talking about such things in Bailey's tavern. It's almost like they are bragging about what happened.

She's studying him again when the car idling right next to them backfires. She can see Stanley tense and grabs his hand gently.

"Are you alright?" she asks quietly, because she doesn't want to make him look weak in front of the rest of the town.

He nods, but he doesn't look alright.

"Take your time," she tells him soothingly. "Do you want to talk about it?" She knows the question is a bad idea before it leaves her mouth. But she wants him to know that she's here for him and he can tell her anything.

"Not particularly."

"Well, if you ever wanted to talk about it. I'm here to listen." She says and she sees him smile lightly. A smile she didn't think she'd ever see again.

"I know."

There isn't anything else said as they walk back to Stanley's truck. But quiet isn't as tense as it was before. That's something she's thankful for. So she goes back to her studying Stanley. Waiting and hoping that he will one day open up to her about what went. What goes through his head after the battle with New Bern.

**I hope you all enjoyed A Study of Stanley. **


End file.
